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Delivery hours: Respecting the right to work and public convenience

Published: 02 Jan. 2026, 00:04

Park Young-bum

The author is an honorary professor of economics at Hansung University.

The government appears to be moving toward policies that would restrict parcel delivery hours. If early-morning delivery or seven-day-a-week delivery were banned, an estimated 20 million consumers who have come to rely on these services would face significant inconvenience. Proposals to prohibit dawn delivery or seven-day delivery reflect what critics see as the self-interested actions of organized labor that enjoys privileged status, backed by a labor-friendly ruling party. Such measures would threaten the livelihoods of many delivery drivers who are relatively young and have shorter careers and seek to earn more through flexible working hours.

Delivery trucks are parked at a Coupang logistics center in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2025. [WOO SANG-JO]

A survey commissioned by the Korean Labor Economics Association and conducted by Korea Research found that night delivery drivers earn an average monthly income of 5.81 million won ($4,000), far higher than that of daytime drivers. About 10 percent of night drivers reported earning more than 9 million won a month. Among respondents, 53 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their current income, while 66.3 percent said their livelihoods had improved since starting night delivery work. The main reason cited for choosing night delivery was higher pay at 51.5 percent, followed by improved work efficiency due to smoother traffic and fewer disruptions. Notably, 78.2 percent said they intended to continue night delivery work in the future.

Many delivery drivers at Coupang left the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in 2023. Membership in the Coupang Delivery Workers’ Union under the confederation is reportedly limited to only a few hundred people. Critics argue that banning early-morning or seven-day delivery would effectively strip nonunion delivery drivers, who operate as independent contractors, of work opportunities and income, while raising earnings for unionized workers affiliated with the confederation.

According to research by the Korean Labor Economics Association, if night delivery or seven-day delivery were prohibited, many drivers would likely seek alternative jobs to maintain their livelihoods. When asked how they would respond if night delivery were no longer allowed, 45 percent said they would shift to other logistics-related night work, while 8.4 percent said they would move to night work unrelated to logistics. Only 32 percent said they would switch to daytime delivery or other daytime jobs.

About 40 percent of respondents said they would increase their working hours to make up for lost income. This would likely lead to longer total working hours, worsening drivers’ health and rest conditions rather than improving them. Even if seven-day delivery is banned, the need to seek additional work to compensate for income losses could recreate the situation seen after the introduction of the 52-hour workweek, when many small business owners and workers at small- and medium-sized firms found themselves juggling multiple jobs instead of enjoying a better work-life balance.

Rising logistics costs from additional hiring would likely be passed on to small merchants facing procurement difficulties due to delivery restrictions and to office workers who rely on timely access to daily necessities, particularly dual-income households. The broader economy would also suffer. A study by the Korean Logistics Association estimates that restrictions on early-morning and seven-day delivery could result in losses of up to 54.3 trillion won. Such measures would also undermine the competitiveness of Korean logistics companies listed on the Nasdaq. Global leaders such as Amazon are intensifying competition by offering ultrafast services, including early-morning delivery and even one-hour delivery.

Delivery workers chant slogans ahead of a civic march titled “Creating Parcel Delivery Without Deaths From Overwork,” held in front of Dongshipjagak Pavilion at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on Nov. 23, 2025. The debate over early-morning delivery was sparked last month after the parcel delivery workers’ union on Oct. 22 of last year called for restrictions on “late-night delivery” between midnight and 5 a.m., citing workers’ sleep time and health rights. Coupang’s labor union and consumer groups oppose limits on early-morning delivery, arguing the right to work and consumer convenience. [NEWS1]

Night delivery drivers overwhelmingly oppose government efforts to regulate delivery hours. In surveys, 87 percent said drivers should be free to decide their own working hours, whether day or night. About 85 percent said it was unfair to ban or restrict night delivery, including early-morning delivery, through laws or guidelines. Only 7.4 percent supported limiting late-night delivery to protect drivers’ health. More than 90 percent opposed a proposed shift system alternating between day and night delivery, an alternative suggested by the labor confederation.

The conclusion is clear. It is unreasonable for the government, citing health protections, to regulate delivery hours through measures such as banning early-morning or seven-day delivery when more than 90 percent of drivers oppose them. Reducing the income of nonunion drivers while boosting that of union members threatens the livelihoods of younger drivers with less experience, as well as the survival of small business owners. It would inconvenience the public and weaken the competitiveness of Korea’s logistics industry. Taxi drivers are allowed to operate late at night. Singling out delivery drivers for restrictive health-based regulations lacks logical consistency.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.